Boiler-feeder



W. CUNNINGHAM.

(No Model.)

BOILER FEEDER.

No. 297,572. Patented Apr. 29; 1884.

N. PETE-I5 PimoLillwgnpher. Wminglon. DC.

llNrTEn STATES PATENT nr ca,

\VILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, OF WATSONTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOILER-FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,572, dated April 29, 1884.

Application filed August 2, 1883. (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Watsontown, in the county of N orthumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Feeders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to feed-water regulators for steam-boilers, and has for its object the provision of means whereby the surface of water in a boiler may be at all times maintained at a given level or point, said means operating, when the water-level falls below such given point, to automatically set a feedwater pump in motion to supply the desired quantity of water to bring the surface back to said given point.

As is well known to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, great care and attention are necessary to keep a proper supply of water in a boiler, whereby either bursting of the boiler or'the weakening and straining of its joints is avoided. Again,when the water is allowed to get low in the boiler, the process of filling or feeding such boiler is attended with great risk, not only to the boiler, but also to the attendant or operator. My invention provides means whereby the water may be maintained at a given level automatically and without any care and attention from the attendant.

To the accomplishment of this end my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my improvement, and in their operation when in position or attached to a boiler, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

The drawing represents my invention attached to a steam-boiler, and is partly in section, to show the position of the pipes.

Referring to the drawing, A represents the boiler, mounted upon the furnace A, and provided with steam-dome A B represents a steam-pipe extending from the boiler A to the cylinder N, hereinafter de scribed, said cylinder being connected by a pipe, B, extending to the valve-chamber O of a small engine, 0, the piston-rod O of which extends to and 'is connected with the plunger cylinder by connecting the pipe B to its side.

The other end, I), of the pipe is turned downward, the object being toprevent water from entering the pipe and passing from thence into the steam-cylinder. Such entry and passage of the water would especially take place when the water is in a boiling condition, the surface of the water atsuch time not being quiet. To the top of the cylinder I connect the pipe B, leading to the valve-chamber of the pump 5 and it will be readily seen that any water that would pass over before the pump had stopped would fall in the cylinder N, thereby preventing the steam-cylinder from being filled with water. The pipe B may be connected to the side of the cylinder, as shown in dotted lines, with equal effect.

E represents the supply-pipe of the pump E, and D the exhaust-pipe of the steam-cylinder 0. The steam-cylinder O and pump-cylinder E are mounted upon and securely fastened to a frame, H, said frame resting upon a block, H.

I do not limit myself to the exact form of steam-pump above described, as it is apparent that any form of steam-pump can be used.

F and G represent by dotted lines the steampipe B entering the boilershell at different points, the former, F, entering the steam-dome A at a point above the desired surface-line of the water and passing thence downward, as shown at f, to said line. The latter, G, en-

' ters the boiler at a point below the water-line, and passes thence upward through the water above the same, its end being turned downward, as shown at g.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The water being above the end of the pipe B,

, when said pipe is in either of the positions shown, operates to close said pipe against the entrance of steam; but assuming that the surface of the water by reason of making steam has fallen below the end of the pipe B, leaving such end exposed, then steam will enter the pipe and pass thence to the steam-cylinder O and set in motion the feed-pump E, whereby water will be drawn through the pipe E and forced through the pipe E into the boiler until the water again rises so near to the orifice of the pipe that, either by damp steam being taken or the full supply of steam being cut off, the action of the pump will be thereby slackened to such a degree as to just hold the water at that point in the boiler, and not to cause the pump to cease acting.

I do not limit myself to entering the pipe B at a particular point of the boiler, as it may enter above or below the water-line, it only being necessary that the end of the pipe be bent downwardly to prevent water from passing through said pipe to and into the steamcylinder 0, as will be readily understood.

From the above-described construction it will be seen that my improvement affords a simple and reliable feed-water regulator for steamboilers at a slight expense.

In the drawing I have designated the steampump formed by the combined steam-cylinder G and water-cylinder E by the general index letter M, that said pump may be readily referred to in the claims.

The cylinder N may be of glass or other suit able materiahwhich cylinder is placed beside the boiler or at any desired distance therefrom, and connected to the boiler by pipes having the same relation to said boiler and its contained water as the pipes B and E, said cylinder having pipes extending to and being connected with the steampump M, the ends of said pipes within the cylinder being disposed in the same manner, as at bin the drawing. By the construction last above described the cylinder may be used as a gage.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide a steam-boiler with a pipe extending downwardly therein to an established waterline, whereby steam may escape from the boiler when the water falls below said line, thereby lowering a float and opening a valve to permit water to be supplied by a feed-pump.

I am also aware of a steam-pipe leading from the boiler to the pump, and upon the water arising to a predetermined height it flows into the steam-pipe and stops the pump.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device for feeding water to a boiler in which the steam-supply to the pump is regulated by the height of the water, the combination of a steam-pump, a boiler, a cylinder intervening between the boiler and pump, and pipes connecting the cylinder with the boiler and pump, the cylinder having a steam-space in its upper part, said space being connected to the steam-space of the boiler bya pipe having its. end bent downward, substantially as shown and described.

2. In aboiler-feeder, the combination of the boiler, the cylinder N, the steam-pipes B and B, the first entering the cylinder in the side, and the other at the top, the first pipe being bent downward in the steam-space of the boiler, the water-pipes E E and a steam-pump, whereby the boiler is fed automatically and water is prevented from entering the steamcylinder of the pump, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

YVILLIAM GUN N INGHAM.

Witnesses:

PHILIP SHAY, \VM. F. SHAY. 

